First Kiss
by EvanescingSky
Summary: Thane and Shepard share a moment after a mission.


Wind blew like the dying gasps of a dehydrated animal through the canyon, with nothing to stir but the reddish dust that coated the rocks and formed the gritty dirt outside the canyon. It was the last vestiges of the day's choking heat before the temperature plummeted as the suns disappeared behind a hazy horizon. From her vantage point at the mouth of the cave, Shepard was watching for the Normandy's shuttle. The last four days they had been skulking around the Blue Suns outpost at the base of the canyon, sniping agents and wreaking general havoc until it simply collapsed into the hollow shell taking up space there now.

Shepard was not accustomed to spy or assassination missions, but she insisted on accompanying Thane. Despite having to frequently remind her that her biotic powers (in line with her vanguard training) were _not_ conducive to secrecy, he wasn't going to argue too much about needing to hole up in tight spaces for extended periods of time with Shepard. Even if it led to more cramped thighs than any progression of their relationship.

Now, though, they could bask in their triumph while awaiting their pick-up.

"Hey, look at that. A shooting star." Shepard pointed into the purplish sky at a comet streaking by and Thane leaned forward to catch a glimpse. He turned a questioning look on Amondi, unfamiliar with the term. A single bead of sweat gleamed at her throat, a reminder of their hot and harrowing climb up to their current hideout. "That's what we called them on Earth. You can make a wish on them." That Shepard was indulging in such a whimsical, childish thing was a sign of how pleased she was about their work on the outpost. This made Thane pleased as well. It was one of the boons to working with Shepard—feeling like he was making a difference in the galaxy, a _positive_ difference.

"Did you wish for something?" Shepard looked back at him with a lopsided smile that pulled at the deep scars on either side of her face.

"I can't tell you. Then it won't come true." Thane had not known Shepard before she had been subject to Project Lazarus, but sometimes he looked at the brutal scarring on her face, the inhuman glow of her eyes, and thought about what she must have been through. Now it was only a fleeing thought—he was more interested in the way the bright starlight illuminated her face, the way her shoulders were relaxed, the smile. With each passing day Shepard seemed to grow more hardened, more consumed by her task. It loosened something in his chest to see her have a moment away from that.

"Is that how it works?"

"Sure is." Shepard abandoned her post by the mouth of the cave and sat down onto the rocks beside Thane. "Could maybe show you, though." She tilted her head slightly, and her eyes dropped down, lower on his face.

"We do have the time," he said, shifting closer to her. "EDI does not seem to be in a rush to pick us up." The look on her face was similar to the one he had seen when they first agreed to try this out, but different. Even in the short time since then, it seemed…more intense. Thane's fingers twitched and he started to reach for her at the same time she leaned in.

Her lips were wonderfully soft, even more so than the rest of her, and the warmth of her burned against his mouth. He felt the tiny ridges in her lower lip, the little dry spots, and his fingers came to rest against her cheek, not flinching away from Cerberus' marks.

"Well, look at that," Shepard said softly, that huskiness in her voice that made Thane's heart constrict and sigh. "It came true." A smile flickered on Thane's face.

"I'm not sure I heard you, Shepard. Would you tell me one more time?" Shepard grinned for just a second, and then closed the distance between them again, one hand on his knee. The temptation to pull her into his arms was potent, but he held back, just to enjoy their simple kiss. Their first. "Like kissing flower petals," he murmured when they separated, passing a finger just over her lips.

"Sweet talker," she accused, a playful expression fighting to overcome the sinister look of the cybernetics in her face.

"It's true," he insisted. "Your skin is much thinner than mine. It feels much softer."

"I suppose that's true." She copied him, tracing her thumb over his lower lip, and Thane forgot to breathe. He was sure she saw the catch in his chest.

"I…don't imagine it's the same for you," he said, feeling the sudden and foolish need to say something.

"It's definitely different," she said. "But not bad. Different is…good. I…" She removed her hand and gave him a frank look, "…am not good at this. Sorry." An unexpected laugh rumbled in Thane's chest, nearly making him break out coughing.

"All the more reason to practice, isn't it?" Shepard rolled her eyes and shook her head, leaning back out of his space, and shortly after, EDI arrived in the shuttle to return them to the Normandy. Miranda had come with, wanting an immediate report on what they had accomplished; Thane let Shepard do the talking. Around anyone else, he was a man of meaningful silence and heavy looks. Relaxing around other was difficult for him, but Shepard was…different. Good different.

When she had finished explaining their last four days to Miranda, he did turn to her.

"Commander, when you have time," he said evenly, "I would like to continue our earlier…discussion." He watched her face carefully, not a twitch betraying him, and saw her momentary struggle to school her expression.

"Of course, Thane. I'll stop by when I can."

Reading drell expressions was not something any human was inherently adept at, but his smugness was enough that Miranda just might have picked up on it—he found he did not much care, one way or another.


End file.
